2.3.05

Letter to Ohio

Ohio residents are facing severe cuts if George Bush's new budget becomes law.

Bush recently unveiled his reckless plan to privatize Social Security, and now he's touting a budget that slashes key programs that help Ohio's working families.

Bush plans devastating cuts to America's top priorities, from homeland security to health care to education to benefits for veterans and much more. Despite these cuts, this budget is a fiscal disaster, with Bush's trademark irresponsibility pushing America deeper into the red with another record deficit.

And this budget is a huge disaster for Ohio. Here are just a few of the cuts Ohio faces under Bush's 2006 budget:

Homeland SecurityThe Bush 2006 budget cuts $420 million to state and local funding for homeland security, including a $32.7 million cut for Ohio. These cuts will take police and firefighters off your streets.The Bush budget cuts the COPS program, which has put 3,757 officers on Ohio streets, by 96 percent.

Health CareThe Bush budget cuts $45 billion from Medicaid, enough to provide health care to 1.8 million children. Ohio's share of these cuts is $1.9 billion. Bush's budget cuts the very same community and rural health care programs he touted during the campaign, even though more than 114,000 Ohio residents have lost their health care coverage since Bush took office due to his failures.

EducationBush underfunds his own No Child Left Behind Act by $13.1 billion in his budget. In Ohio, that means a shortfall of $354.6 million, leaving behind 82,594 Ohio children. Bush promised to fund Pell Grants in his State of the Union address, but his budget is $6.6 billion short. That's $233.6 million less than what's needed in Ohio, a real burden for the 177,447 students in Ohio who receive the grants.

Other PrioritiesBush cuts $24.7 million from Ohio job training programs in his 2006 budget.

The Bush budget would require many veterans to pay a new $250 annual "user fee" to use the Veterans Administration health care system, and would double the prescription drug co-payment for the 1,144,007 Ohio veterans. Bush cuts Ohio clean water programs by $21.8 million.

Bush's 2006 budget also cuts the Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program -- which helps low-income families afford heating fuel in the winter -- by $234.4 million, including $11.8 million cut for Ohio residents.

And Bush's irresponsible budget is a record $427 billion in the red, increasing each Ohio family's share of the federal debt by $38,563. Full report in PDF format is here.